NHL.com’s fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we take a look at the advanced metrics behind the Los Angeles Kings’ strong play over the past month.
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The Los Angeles Kings, one of the best 5-on-5 teams in the NHL in recent seasons, have fallen short in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But with continued possession dominance this season, a stout defense despite the long-term injury to Drew Doughty and new wrinkle in net, there is plenty of hope for a different end result.
The addition of goalie Darcy Kuemper, who was acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade on June 19, has provided the Kings with timely saves on most of the few breakdowns they allow; Los Angeles is allowing the fewest shots on goal per game (24.8) in the NHL, and, per NHL EDGE stats, Kuemper ranks fourth in the League in high-danger save percentage (.839).
The calling card of the Kings during their championship years (2012, 2014) was being a heavy, possession-savvy team, and their shot attempts percentage at 5-on-5 has once again been near the top of the NHL over the past four seasons:
Kings’ recent SAT% percentages:
-2024-25: 52.7 percent; sixth
-2023-24: 53.9 percent; fourth
-2022-23: 52.3 percent; tied for sixth
-2021-22: 54.2 percent; fifth
This familiar blueprint, along with Kuemper being a difference-maker since his return from an early-season injury, has helped the Kings go on a run over the past month plus to remind others in the Pacific Division and around the NHL that they could have a high ceiling come playoff time.
Los Angeles has the best points percentage in the NHL since Nov. 27 (.800; 11-2-2 in past 15 games). Kuemper only has two regulation losses in 18 games (10-2-5) this season and is 6-0-2 with a 1.86 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and one shutout since returning to the lineup Dec. 7.
Kuemper has had strong stretches before in his NHL career, including when he won the Stanley Cup as the Colorado Avalanche’s starter in 2022 (10-4-0, .902 save percentage, one shutout in 16 playoff games) and also his previous stint with the Kings in 2017-18 (10-1-3, 2.10 GAA, .932 SV%, three shutouts in 19 games).
The Kings have lost in the first round of the postseason three straight seasons at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers and dropped five straight playoff series overall; the last postseason series victory for Los Angeles was its Stanley Cup win against the New York Rangers in 2014. Doughty, who has not played at all this season (had surgery after sustaining broken ankle in preseason game Sept. 25, 2024), and Kings captain Anze Kopitar were core members of both championship runs.
But the fact that the Kings’ recent run has come without the injured Doughty makes it very different from their similarly dominant stretch last season. Los Angeles made the playoffs last season thanks to a 20-6-3 stretch from Oct. 17 to Dec. 27, 2023 (second-best points percentage in League at .741 over that span) despite struggling in the month that followed (2-8-6 in 16 games from Dec. 28, 2023 to Jan. 28, 2024).
Among goalies who have played at least 18 games this season, Kuemper is fourth in goals-against average (2.29) and tied for fifth in save percentage (.916). Los Angeles, with goalies Kuemper and David Rittich, is tied for eighth in team save percentage at 5-on-5 (.918). And the success of the by-committee approach to the defense in front of that tandem under coach Jim Hiller during the absence of Doughty has been unexpectedly impressive.
The Kings’ breakout player at the position has been 21-year-old Brandt Clarke, who leads their defensemen in points (21), assists (18), power-play points (seven) and shots on goal (75). Vladislav Gavrikov has quietly been the leader among Los Angeles defensemen in even-strength points (15), shot attempts differential (plus-120) and average ice time (23:46).
As a team, the Kings are tied for third in long-range goals (12) behind the Winnipeg Jets (14) and Seattle Kraken (14). Los Angeles has three defensemen who have scored multiple long-range goals: Joel Edmundson (three; tied for fourth in entire NHL), Clarke and Gavrikov (two each); Clarke also ranks highly in long-range shots on goal (37; 88th percentile). Jordan Spence, an unsung hero of the group who sees some power-play time, ranks in the 92nd percentile of average shot speed (74.26 miles per hour), while Gavrikov is among the total skating distance leaders at even strength (104.26 miles; 88th percentile).
Another highlight of the Kings’ back end has been the penalty kill, which ranks ninth in the NHL (82.3 percent). Defenseman Mikey Anderson ranks in the 98th percentile in total skating distance on the penalty kill (14.15 miles), helping Los Angeles hold down the fort in Doughty’s absence.
While Doughty has recently resumed skating in his recovery, the Kings’ longtime top-line center Kopitar leads them in assists (27) and points (39 in 37 games) with a heavy workload. Kopitar ranks highly in total skating distance (121.81 miles; 94th percentile) and high-danger goals (nine; 92nd percentile) among forwards.
The Kings are also led by high-scoring forwards Adrian Kempe, who leads them in goals (18; tied for 12th in NHL) and shots on goal (102), and Kevin Fiala, who has their second-most goals (14) and is tied with Kopitar for their most power-play points (11). Kempe is an EDGE standout among forwards in top skating speed (23.20 mph; 96th percentile), 20-plus mph speed bursts (126; 97th percentile), average shot speed (65.61 mph; 94th percentile) and long-range shots on goal (19; sixth at position). Fiala also has a hard shot (top shot speed of 93.72 mph; 95th percentile) among forwards and thrives in midrange shots on goal (41; 95th percentile) and midrange goals (seven; 96th percentile).
Other forward EDGE standouts for Los Angeles include second-liners Quinton Byfield and Warren Foegele, as well as third-line goal-scorer Alex Laferriere (13 goals; third on team). Byfield, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has flashed his speed in terms of 20-plus mph bursts (137; 97th percentile) and also his hard shot (93.00 mph; 92nd percentile), while Foegele excels in top skating speed (23.19 mph; 95th percentile). Both Foegele (36 high-danger shots on goal, 94th percentile; eight high-danger goals, 89th percentile) and Laferriere (seven high-danger goals; 84th percentile) have shown their finishing ability.
So the Kings, who should get Doughty back sometime this season, have longshot futures appeal as a Stanley Cup contender and strong enough depth and underlying metrics to suggest they’re capable of winning a round for the first time in a decade. Whether Los Angeles plays against or avoids Edmonton in the playoffs, it is looking like one of the most-balanced and well-rounded teams entering the New Year -- with more staying power than last season.
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